Like a blast from the past, Kansas history was brought to life last Sunday, Feb. 5, as citizens of the Topeka community gathered at the Ritchie House's Cox Communication Heritage Education Center for the first of the "Shared Stories of the Civil War" performances that will continue on through the month of February.
Exciting new things are happening in North Topeka's Art District, and the future looks bright.
The Topeka Zoo, in the heart of Gage Park, is expecting an exciting new addition to its inhabitants early this May. What new addition is that? Penguins.
A great way to start out your weekend on the First Friday of every month is to visit some of the 40 venues around Topeka participating in the First Friday Art Walk.
The Great Overland Station of Topeka is showing off a grand collection of Kansas' railroad history. The Station will be showing the exhibit "The People's Kind of Railroad: The Santa Fe, the City, the State, and the Nation," in the Fink Exhibit Gallery through Jan. 28.
This culture behind waiting, specifically in a women's health clinic, was expressed this past weekend in the one-act choreoplay "Tick Tock" written by Marcia Cebulska, with shows at the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library and the YWCA.
Topeka Civic Theatre is the place to go for a night of improv, games and shenanigans, provided by the members of Laughing Matters Improvisational Comedy Troupe and Laughing Matters Junior.
Dinner and a show plus a holiday atmosphere with a twist is what audience members can expect if planning to attend the Break Room's second annual performance of David Sedaris' tale, the "Santaland Diaries."
With prepubescent robots and a natural aversion to vegetables on his mind, Eric McHenry, Washburn assistant professor of English, recently released his new book of children's poetry "Mommy Daddy Evan Sage."
A unique exhibit combining art and photography is currently on display at the Fairlawn Plaza Classic Bean at 2125 S.W. Fairlawn Drive.
The African American Male Leadership Council had a special presentation for a group of young men last Friday night on Veterans day, when Sinbad the Entertainer came to the Topeka Performing Arts Center before his show.
"Crazy for You" is a musical comedy by Ken Ludwig, based off of George and Ira Gershwin‘s "Girl Crazy." The story behind the musical focuses on the character Bobby Child.
Ever since David Adkins, professionally known as "Sinbad the Entertainer," first came to Topeka—the city has been anxiously awaiting his return. This Friday, Nov. 11, marks his official return at the Topeka Performing Arts Center.
Homegrown band, Dead Sevens, released their first music video on October 31, 2011. The band is currently working on their new album which is expected to drop around February 2012.
Every community has its heritage to celebrate. With Topeka, the tapestry of the capitol city is synonymous with the Hispanic-American community. A small sliver of this heritage is on display at the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site downtown.
Lisa Boyd, owner of The Merchant, located in downtown Topeka on Kansas Avenue hosted a fashion show displaying costumes and other reasonably priced fashions available in her boutique.
Natalie Wang's senior art exhibit "West Meets East" is currently on display in the Art building, until this Friday, Oct. 28.
Hong Kong Buffet in North Topeka is currently in its sixth year of business. After being closed for remodeling during the past three and a half months, the business is open again.
The opening concert for the Symphony Orchestra was held Friday, October 14 at White Concert Hall.
Having already published books and shorts stories as far back as 1971 in Kansas University's literary magazine "The Cottonwood," Professor Tom Averill, Washburn writer-in -residence, recently saw the release of his new novel "Rode."
The eight acre corn maze has two bridges to cross and offers hours of entertainment. The design of the corn maze changes every year, and this year's design is a cow.
The Washburn Art Building on campus, currently houses Koger‘s "evolution." The exhibit is required as part of Washburn University's transformational experience for those graduating with a bachelor in fine arts degree.
Grammy-winning female country vocalist, Miranda Lambert, was the headline performer Oct. 6 at the Kansas Expocentre. She performed along with Justin Moore and the Randy Rogers Band to produce a very entertaining show.
It's like music to Washburn's ears. What better way to get a music fix then come to this Friday's Symphony Orchestra concert? This is one of the five orchestra concerts to be held this year, and it's free.
Porubsky's Deli and Grocery has been a familiar local gem in the northeast area of Topeka known as Little Russia since 1947, when it was opened by Charles and Lydia Porubsky.
Whether you like the dropping temperatures or not, you cannot choose the weather; but what you can choose is what kind of beverage can go with it.
East of Branner Trafficway on 6th Avenue are a wide variety of businesses catering to Hispanics in Topeka.
This is the sixth year the fair took place in the Aaron Douglas Art Park at the southwest corner of 12th and Lane, honoring the Topeka-born artist Aaron Douglas, who was known as "the father of African American art."
The city of Topeka offers a variety of local and unique shopping to visitors or residents.
Despite art budget cuts around the state of Kansas this past year, the North Topeka Arts District, also known as NOTO Arts District, continues to inspire students and produce new projects ahead of time.
Several local bars and coffee houses offer a variety of live entertainment for your enjoyment.
In the last two years, Topeka has seen growth of interest in reinvigorating the downtown part of the city.
For the last 30 years, Topekans have enjoyed Cider Days, a show of what regional merchants have to offer combined with arts and entertainment.
This month's Friday Art Walk of Topeka will take place Oct. 7 at Southwind Gallery.
The Burger Stand made their Topeka debut in the College Hill development, and has been hopping since they unlocked their doors for business Sept. 10.
The Topeka Performing Arts Center (TPAC) has been serving its city by "…providing for the advancement, promotion, presentation, and development of the arts to meet the diverse cultural and educational needs of our community," as stated in their mission statement.
Acting. Theatre. Drama. These three words can bring a lot of different feelings to mind.
As the summer comes to an end for the youth of Topeka, one last fun event helped to bring entertainment to the masses and celebrate a part of the capital city's heritage.
Local band Head Change was chosen from a battle of the bands to play at Kanrocksas Music Festival.
Art fair thrives at Washburn despite elimination of Kansas Arts Commission
This weekend, Washburn University is hosting the Mulvane Mountain/Plains Art Fair, a two-day event featuring live music, food and pieces of work from nearly 90 artists from around the country.
You can't argue with numbers. With more than $10 billion in yearly revenue, the video game industry has grown to rival the media giants like film and music. It's no secret that college students are playing video games. According the the ESRB, 49 percent of gamers are between the ages of 18 and 49, but students at Washburn are doing more than just playing.
Washburn Student Media hopes to raise the roof on Jayhawk Theatre Revival Concert. Washburn Student Media is hosting the "Jayhawk Theatre Revival Concert" on April 16 to raise money for the restoration of the Jayhawk Theatre.
Hello, my name is Ryan... and I'm an addict. My friends and I have a theory that a person's taste in music matures, and then atrophies, during high school. We believe this explains why so many people still think hair bands are a good idea.
Studio 831 is the first artist workspace to open its doors at the North Topeka Arts District, also known as the NOTO Arts District. Local painter, former Washburn professor and community leader, Barbara Waterman Peters is paving the way for other artists along with Michael Hager and Lois VanLiew.
In June 1937, John Steuart Curry began painting murals inside the Kansas state capitol. Criticism soon followed. Today, they are considered historical monuments, which Curry proclaimed himself decades ago, although many at the time did not agree. One of the most famous of his paintings is "The Prelude," which features John Brown during the anti-slave movement in the Kansas Territory.
Uptown Theatre hosted Kansas City Metal Festival on Saturday Jan. 29, 2011. The show brought metal bands through out the region. Featured bands include Jolly Roger from Lawrence, Kan. and Sober Overdose from Kansas City.
Following years of legal wrangling between Trent Reznor and his former label, TVT, which left Nine Inch Nails' 1989 debut album "Pretty Hate Machine" largely out of print, the album has finally received the proper re-release that it deserved. This, unfortunately, is not that album.
With over 15 million views on YouTube, more people are finally starting to take notice of sketch comedy troupe Good Neighbor, as evidenced by their recent free show at the University of Kansas's Hashinger crises, dancing businessmen, mischievous lion, and free pizza.
On, Jan. 14, 1978, the Sex Pistols performed at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco, Calif. on the final date of their U.S. tour. At the end of the show, singer Johnny Rotten screamed, "Ever get the feeling you've been cheated?" and angrily walked off stage. Rotten promptly left the band and bassist Sid Vicious soon died of a drug overdose, signaling the end of the first, nihilistic, era of punk rock.
Ludo's Pizzeria opened Jan. of 2011, and is owned by Washburn Law Alumnus Jerry Shelor. Their motto is "In the sauce and in the toss!" translates into their commitment to the local community.
The Mulvane Art Museum has something for almost everyone right now. If you have an interest in pop culture, pottery in different shapes and sizes, textiles, artists from Kansas or Chinese art you will like at least one, if not all, of the current exhibits.
The Mulvane Art Lab was hopping with luck as children and their families helped celebrate Chinese New Year. This year's sign is the Rabbit, and participants got to make a plethora of art projects to mark this fun occasion.
Kansans rallied around the judicial building last Thursday to protest the executive order abolishing the Kansas Arts Commission signed by Gov. Sam Brownback.
The artist who created the pottery currently on display at the Mulvane Art Museum visited Glenda Taylor's Ceramic II class last Wednesday give a demonstration and talk with students about the craft he has practiced for over 20 years. Danny Meisinger demonstrated creating pottery while talking about ceramics, sprinkled with anecdotes from his experiences as a ceramic artist.
When a student in the bachelor of fine arts program nears the end of their degree, they are given the opportunity to do a senior exhibition, in which they plan and execute an exhibit of their artwork. Megan Bahre, 22, is the first student this semester to have her senior exhibit on display in the Art Building this semester.
Quinton's Bar and Deli has become a weekend hotspot for college students in Topeka. Not only can you order food, but the bar is open and serving drinks until 2 a.m. It has different specials every day of the week, and features $3 Jager bombs at all times, which is a must for a bar trying to attract college students.
Home of the three-pound burger, Speck's has been a part of Topeka for 54 years. The three pounder was introduced in 1990, and is available today for free if you can finish the entire thing with a heaping plate of crispy, homemade french fries all in 45 minutes. If you aren't feeling so adventurous bring some friends to share the 12 burger patties, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle all on their very own home-baked bun for $20.99. Patrons can add 12 slices of American cheese for $2 more.
The Marshall's Band has been a band in Topeka since the 1883-1884 presidential election, and is the oldest band in Topeka. John Bromell Marshall organized the band after he was asked to promote the Republican candidates for President and Vice President, James G. Blaine and John A. Logan. When the Republicans lost the election, the band members figured their careers together were finished. J.B. Marshall is quoted as saying, "Boys, it's all over and Marshall's Band dies with the election!"
With vegetarian and omnivore friendly food, drinks ranging from coffee to alcoholic beverages and local art decorating the walls, Blackbird Espresso Bar and Bistro is the place for students to hang out and relax. Currently managed by Jayson North and his wife, Lauren, Blackbird has changed hands and names a few times over the years before taking the form it's in today.
When I walked into Weller's Grill and Bar, I realized it wasn't a typical bar and grill. I quickly figured out that these guys focus on the food. Not only do they have wine pairings for most of their entrees, they also make almost everything from scratch, including burger buns.
The Material, a band from San Diego, is currently on tour promoting their first full length album "What We Are."
The late Marilyn Monroe is not often associated with heavy metal music, but attendees of Lawrence's Bottleneck bar found the connection as the Explosions II Tour hit town with the bands the Almighty Norma Jean, taken from the actress's birth name, as well as special guests Of Legends, Impending Doom, Stick to Your Guns, and local opener the Runaway Sons.
Performing at White Concert Hall on March 17, back by popular demand was Daniel Narducci, a classic American baritone, accompanied by pianist Scot Woolley. His concert was part of the 80th season of the Topeka Community Concert Association. The Washburn Flute Ensemble performed for the audience's pre-show entertainment.
The Material, a band from San Diego, is currently on tour promoting their first full length album "What We Are."
Topeka's art scene is beginning to thrive. One new gallery helping to promote local artists is the Keyoka Galleria and Treasures. Owned and created by Kenny Ralph, Keyoka is located on Eighth Street near Kansas Avenue and opened last December. According to employee and Washburn alumnus Chris Waugh, Ralph wanted to open a place to show his collection of figurines and invited local artists to help fill the space.
Once upon a time, Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell had a Robert Plant-esque voice that could peel the paint from walls, but the rock ‘n' roll lifestyle has a way of taking its toll on a singer's vocal cords. Soundgarden's new album "Live on I-5," released March 22, was recorded near the end of the band's 1996 tour in support of the "Down on the Upside" album and was scheduled to be released in 1997. But the band's implosion in April of that year meant these recordings were left sitting in a vault somewhere gathering dust. The band's reunion last year unlocked that vault and "Live on I-5" is the result.
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